Not Jealousy
by alexandrinedamaris
Summary: Lavender isn't jealous. She just wants to bruise Ron's ego, and Parvati is the perfect way to go about it.


_This is the first of my fics for nooreva's femslash february trope bingo (on tumblr), for au: fake relationship._

* * *

Lavender was trying not to be angry, really she was, but looking across the Gryffindor table and seeing Ron and Hermione made her feel a little sick. It wasn't that she was jealous, really she wasn't, but she had to shut her eyes against them anyway. Why couldn't he have told her, back when she'd liked him so much she had barely been able to contain herself, that he liked Hermione, that Lavender wasn't nearly what he wanted? She'd known Hermione had liked him, she'd gone from being friendly with Lavender to ignoring her existence, and by extension, Parvati's, as soon as they'd started dating, but she'd asked Hermione, more than once if it was okay, and she'd said she wasn't interested, scoffing at the idea. In all honesty, they'd all assumed she preferred Harry.

Parvati's hand on her arm, gentle and comforting, made Lavender finally look away and to her best friend. Parvati was very pretty, there was no doubting it, and Lavender occasionally found herself thinking about what it might be like to kiss her. But that was just because Parvati had told her she liked girls as well as boys, not because Lavender actually liked her. That would be ridiculous. They were best friends, nothing more.

Parvati was looking at her now, her dark brown eyes, deep and warm, full of concern. Lavender couldn't resist that look. She slumped, both elbows on the table, head in her hands, and leaned into Parvati.  
"He never really liked me, Pav."  
Parvati gave her a funny little half smile, understanding and comforting. "I know." She pulled her closer, tucking Lavender under her arm, her cheek resting atop Lavender's head. She smelled like lemons and lavender, the scent of her calming Lavender's frayed nerves as much as the comfort of being wrapped around her.

* * *

The girls' dormitory, exactly the same as the boys, Lavender assumed, except it probably smelled better, was empty bar from the two of them. Hermione was probably off scheming with Ron and Harry, or in the Library with her nose her in a book, and the other two hadn't returned for eighth year. Secretly, Lavender liked it best when it was just the two of them, not that she didn't like being surrounded by people, she loved it, but when she wanted peace, she wanted Parvati there too.

Thinking of Hermione made her think of the plan she'd hatched watching them together that afternoon in the common room. What would embarrass Ron more than finding out his only ex-girlfriend was now dating a girl herself? Never mind that said girl was the twin of the first girl he'd ever taken on a date. She turned to Parvati, who was examining her own hand, a book of palmistry in her lap, and asked, "Parvati, will you be my girlfriend?"  
Parvati's head snapped up in a flash, her dark hair flying everywhere. "What?" Her eyes were wide, and if Lavender was right, it looked like her cheeks had went a little red under her brown skin.  
"You know, to bruise Ron's ego," she explained casually, looking at Parvati with hope in her eyes. She'd expected Parvati to agree, no questions asked, but the other girl looked wary, her brows drawing together and her lips drawing into a thin line.  
"I don't know," she said eventually, slow and clearly still thinking about it. "Will he even care? He seems to really love Hermione."  
That hurt just a little. Lavender knew he really liked Hermione, but love seemed a little strong, not to mention soon. "I don't want him back. Just to prove I can move on too."  
This seemed to make the plan worse in Parvati's eyes. "But you haven't."  
"I have!" Lavender cried indignantly. Then, she calmed down a little. "Come on, Parvati, it'll be funny."  
Parvati seemed to think about this for a second, turning back to her palm.  
"Please," begged Lavender, in the voice she knew Parvati could never resist. "I'll love you forever if you do."  
The other girl smiled, her eyes moving to meet Lavender's. "Okay then."  
Lavender rushed over to hug her, both of them giggling, and neither let go for a little while.

* * *

The two of them held hands in the common room, at the dining table, on their way to lessons, and nobody seemed to notice, least of all Ron. Well, that was a lie, Dean noticed and gave them a grin and a thumbs up in Herbology that morning. Lavender wanted to tell him that it wasn't real, he seemed very excited for them, but she couldn't let the cat out of the bag, not yet.

She tried to be more obvious with it, tucking stray strands of hair behind Parvati's ear, sitting extra close to her, and at one point, Parvati kissed her temple in Divination, though what the point in that was, Lavender wasn't sure; Ron didn't even take Divination. Still, Lavender felt her face heat up, and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

When it came around to dinner in the Great Hall, and Ron finally looked her way for the first time that day, Lavender did the only thing she could think of.  
"Parvati," she whispered to her best friend and fake girlfriend.  
Parvati turned to her, dark eyes questioning, and Lavender didn't give herself time to think. She leaned forward, faster than was probably necessary, and pressed her mouth to hers. Her lips were soft and smooth, and Lavender found herself thinking that this was even better than she'd imagined. Not that she'd imagined all that many times. Just a couple or a hundred. Parvati kissed her back, only for a moment, before pushing her back slightly.  
"We're in company you know."  
Lavender grinned, and didn't care to look at Ron.

* * *

Lying in bed, Lavender couldn't stop thinking about her shared kiss with Parvati. She could still feel the shape of her lips against hers, and felt all warm and fuzzy and safe inside. Parvati was snoring softly, more of a purr than anything, little sighs as she exhaled in the bed beside hers, and the sound lulled Lavender's buzzing brain to sleep.

* * *

By the morning, Lavender had made peace with her realisation, and came to a decision. Hermione left the dorm earlier than Lavender and Parvati, just like she always did, and Lavender took her chance.  
"Parvati," she said, sitting down beside her best friend on her bed. "I don't want to be your fake girlfriend anymore."  
Hurt fluttered across Parvati's face, and though it made her feel guilty, it also spurred Lavender on. She'd intended to explain it, to tell her how she felt, but she was brass and bold, and really, she wanted to kiss her again. So she did.

Parvati kissed her back instantly, hands moving to cup her face like she was the most precious thing in all the world. Lavender felt light and free and loved, and when she pulled back, they were both smiling.

"Will you be my real girlfriend," Lavender breathed against Parvati's lips.  
"I thought you'd never ask."


End file.
